The Spark Cast – Details, episodes & analysis

How do a Broadway star and a VFX executive come together to create an animated short film? The story behind how Cops and Robbers, a new short film from Timothy Ware-Hill and Arnon Manor, came to be, is inspiring and speaks to the power of Ware-Hill’s writing, performance and conviction.

We recently spoke with Ware-Hill and Manor about the inspiration for the film, the challenges of working with over 30 artists to create a six-minute project, and how answering an Instagram DM started the ball rolling on the project.

• Cops and Robbers — Official Trailer
• Timothy Ware-Hill on IMDb
• Arnon Manor on IMDb

00:00 - Introduction
00:55 - Coming together
07:53 - A Taste of Chocolate
13:22 - Tipping points
19:25 - Animation collaboration
25:20 - Quilt of experiences
33:08 - Equity and inclusivity
40:26 - What's next
48:24 - Closing

Joseph Hodges’ first passion was flight, but after a failed attempt at the pilot’s exam, he opted for his second passion: architecture. His designs were always seen as too big and ambitious for real buildings, but when Joseph found himself working on the set of Hook, his passion for design found an outlet, and over his career he has worked on everything from period dramas, and sci-fi, to contemporary dramas.

We recently caught up with Joseph to talk about his experiences working on Hook, his long run on 24, and how he’s staying creative outside of the Hollywood system.

• Joseph Hodges on IMDb

00:00 - Welcome
00:16 - Introduction
01:07 - The Desire to Create
03:25 - The Architecture of Movies
07:22 - Beamed to Hollywood
13:06 - Hook and Dracula Workmanship
18:55 - Refreshing Star Trek
25:01 - Keeper of the Look of 24
34:29 - Ongoing Learning
39:49 - Regrets Would Feel Fake

A number of years ago, Taylor K. Shaw was looking to staff her project with black animators, people who looked like the characters that she was creating, but the task proved to be more difficult than she anticipated. Eventually, she did find one black female animator, but the search led her to think that there had to be a better way to find these creative individuals, and to create a space for black women to collaborate, inspire each other, and raise each other up. What started as the Black Girl Animators Collective led to Black Women Animate, a mission-driven animation studio that is changing the landscape and pushing boundaries in the animation industry.

We recently caught up with Taylor to discuss the catalyst of how BWA came to be, the accomplishments and challenges of the studio’s first four years, and what’s next for both the studio and Taylor.

00:00 - Welcome
00:16 - Introduction
01:18 - Born to express
03:32 - Power to control narrative
09:02 - Building an animation community
14:38 - JLove — Creative accomplice
19:58 - The world is waking up
24:01 - Family encouragement
27:55 - Pursuing purpose
32:12 - Pandemic driven shift
36:21 - Fueling one's creativity
41:10 - Closing

If you attended a Spark festival in years past, chances are that you’ve seen DaCosta Bayley’s work. A self-taught, award-winning illustrator, DaCosta has been creating professionally since 1995. Working under the studio name CHOCOLATE SOOP®, DaCosta has produced designs across various media, has launched the popular “MARCH of ROBOTS” drawing challenge on Instagram, collaborated with artists around the world, and has worked with major brands like Nintendo, Sony, Hasbro, Wacom, and Google.

We recently caught up with DaCosta to talk about how he broke into the industry, how his passion for robots developed, and what he’s working on now.

• Chocolate Soop Website
• Chocolate Soop on Instagram

Mindy Johnson is an award-winning author, historian, educator, and filmmaker. She is a leading expert in women’s roles in animation and film history. Her work in the field has garnered her a number of prestigious awards, including the 2020 ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Educators Forum Faculty Grant and the 2019 Academy Film Scholar Award. But, did you know that Mindy is also a Grammy-nominated musician?

We recently caught up with Mindy to discuss her varied interests, multiple careers, and how a passion for life-long learning has made her a leading and essential voice in the study of women’s roles in Hollywood history.

00:00 - Welcome
00:28 - Introduction
01:11 — From Minnesota to Neverland
20:31 — Familiar Waters
27:50 — Teaching and Learning
37:46 — Tinker Bell
40:12 — Ink & Paint
47:38 — Pencils, Pens & Brushes
51:54 — Current Projects
54:26 — Getting Women’s History Right

• Mindy Johnson Creative
• Mindy Johnson on IMDb
• Tinker Bell — An Evolution
• Ink & Paint
• Pencils, Pens & Brushes
• Sounds of Blackness — Familiar Waters
• Mindy Johnson Playing the Harp

Host: Marina Antunes
Sound & Music: Michael Edlund
©2021 Spark CG Society · All Rights Reserved.

One might assume that as a three-time Oscar nominee and one of the co-founders of the celebrated Cartoon Saloon, Tomm Moore might be an aloof figure. Instead, he’s warm and fathery wth a rebel streak and a spirit that bucks popular trends.

It’s this outsider spirit and willingness to follow their hearts that has put Cartoon Saloon on the map, and though it hasn’t always been easy, the studio has flourished into a collaborative enterprise that feels more like a family than a studio.

We recently caught up with Tomm to talk about the early days of the studio, his passion for history, his compulsive need to draw and his next project.

00:00 - Welcome
00:26 - Introduction
01:10 - Compulsive Drawing
08:12 - Cartoon Saloon
13:19 - The Rich Folklore Well
16:32 - Cultivating Studio Culture
24:59 - Developing Concepts
32:31 - Connected to Nature
38:40 - Next Generation Animators

• Cartoon Saloon
• Tomm Moore on IMDb
• The Secret of Kells
• Song of the Sea
• WolfWalkers
• WolfWalkers on Apple TV+

Host: Marina Antunes
Sound & Music: Michael Edlund
©2021 Spark CG Society · All Rights Reserved.

Denver Jackson has always wanted to be a storyteller. In 2012, he began his journey by creating a 9-minute short film titled Cloudrise. Nine years later, Cloudrise is an independent studio, and Denver has made three short films, a webseries, and now an upcoming feature film titled Esluna: The Crown of Babylon.

We recently spoke with Denver about his creative process, working as a solo animator, and how he overcame the challenges of making a feature film on his own.

00:00 – Welcome
00:30 – Introduction
01:12 – Learning by Doing
08:59 – Visual & Storytelling Style
20:53 – One-Person Ensemble
30:20 – Getting the Job Done
41:30 – Upcoming Projects

• Cloudrise Pictures
• Denver Jackson on IMDb
• Cloudrise (Short)
• ESLUNA: The First Monolith (Web Series)
• Esluna: The Crown of Babylon (Feature)

Host: Marina Antunes
Sound & Music: Michael Edlund
©2021 Spark CG Society · All Rights Reserved.

Ann Marie Fleming is a prolific filmmaker, visual artist, and storyteller who has spent the bulk of her career exploring themes of history, family, and memory — both her own and others’.

Be it her powerful short film You Take Care Now, which explores the trauma she experienced as a young woman, or The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam which explores the life of her great grandfather, or the adventures of Stickgirl, Ann Marie has long shared personal stories with the world.

We recently spoke with the artist about inspiration, creativity and why she continues to tell and explore deeply personal stories in her art.

00:00 — Welcome
00:32 — Introduction
01:22 — Adjusting to a New Culture
07:08 — Entranced by Animation
11:26 — You Take Care Now
22:26 — New Shoes
28:07 — Sources of Inspiration
30:57 — Stickgirl
36:57 — Compulsion to Share
40:58 — Sources of Motivation
47:18 — Advice to my Younger Self

• Sleepy Dog Films
• Ann Marie Fleming on Vimeo
• Ann Marie Fleming on IMDb

Host: Marina Antunes
Sound & Music: Michael Edlund
©2021 Spark CG Society · All Rights Reserved.